Customer Reviews

Peas, "Pills," and Parkinson's

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I began Peas, "Pills" and Parkinson's, by Alice Crooker in an airport, and finished it on the airplane before I arrived at my destination. The problem was that I had to control my laughter and my tears on the plane, and that is difficult while reading this book. Alice is an excellent writer. Her writing is well-organized and flowing. The stories are not only about Alice having Parkinson's, but also the other challenges and wonders of her life. She climbed mountains, loved her family of childhood and the challenges they brought her, and fell in love with her "faithful, level headed husband, Dave." She says at his retirement party she was thrilled to see how so many others admired him!

Although as a child her family had difficulty even getting water, she looked on her childhood as a good one. Her mother and father were very interesting people, to say the least, and her descriptions of them were so good I felt I had met them. The struggles have been there in Alice's life, but she has met them assertively with humor and never given up on others or her own health problems. In her final chapter, "Odds and Ends," facing some additional medical problems she writes that she and her husband took a trip and "proceeded to laugh themselves silly over absolutely nothing."

Although Alice's life had difficulties, she never lost her sense of humor or her gratitude to God and her family. She says, "Parkinson's is not good, but God truly is." She says, "all he needs to hear from you and from me are the words, "Dear Lord, please take me in your arms and help me." This is an outstanding book of real life experiences met with determination and hope. I loved this book.

Peas, Pills And Parkinson's, by Alice Crooker.
Review by Ron Kruger, newspaper columnist for over 30 years and author of A Higher Good.
It could have been titled "Wit And True Grit," because that's what Alice Crooker brings to her life and to this book. It is a story about trials and triumphs, and courage and humor, in the face of a debilitating malady.
The charm of this book is Crooker's way of putting things:
About her childhood: "Whereas my dad was a "rare genius," because he always remembered and never for an instant forgot I was a special gift from heaven, my mother never forgot the catastrophic depression my birth had triggered."
About being forced to eat peas: "I'm quite certain one day peas will be linked to every known disease and be behind most natural disasters."
This book is full of such wit and humor. Even under the most adverse conditions of Parkinson's, with her body twisted and her movements uncontrollable, the true grit of Crooker's wit shines.
While undergoing "deep brain stimulation," a radical surgery where the head is shaved, a metal halo is screwed into the skull, and pieces of the skull are removed to allow electrical probes deep into brain, the patient remains awake. This is "brain surgery" in every frightening sense of the word. Still, Crooker was quick with self-effacing wit:
"Dr. Nora then started drilling a second dime-size hole, this time on the left side of the top of my skull. His only comment was, "My, you have a thick skull."
My response was, "Thank you for that observation. Now, at last, I'll be able to explain to my family and friends why I am so stubborn and they can't get anything into my head."
Reading Alice Crooker's book makes one wish they knew her personally. It makes one wish they could talk and laugh with her. It makes one wish they could hug her.
After reading it, the first thought that came to my mind was to give my copy to a friend suffering from the early stages of Parkinson's, and then buy another, because the first words of the Introduction to Peas, Pills and Parkinson's says:
"You or someone you know has (this) problem. I am sorry! Since I cannot fix your unfortunate situation, I wrote this book to cheer you up.
"All proceeds will be donated to The Virginia Manson Foundation to help improve the lives of Parkinson's disease patients."

This story is not just about a person dealing with Parkinson's disease, but also about the problems of receiving proper diagnosis and treatment. It is a human-interest story about a very special person, Alice Crooker. Her wit provides much humor in how she deals with other people's reaction to her problems. The doctors who treat her are not spared from her feisty manner.
It is also a story about her childhood and dealing with mental problems. Alice is a person who seeks truth in all that she does. Her faith continues to sustain her.

Alice Crooker writes of coping with a life-changing disease from a personal and positive perspective that is both enjoyable and enlightening. The result is a book that offers insights to life as well as to her battle with adversity.

Frustrated with the doctors, you need to read Alice's book. Her determination along with her faith in God will help you deal with everyday life. This book will warm your heart and put several smiles on your face. Thank you, Alice.

Happily, this is not a teeth-gnashing knee-rattling needle-poking book. While the author's mid-life battle with doctors, hospitals and Parkinson's Disease informs the narrative, the book offers much more than an insider's view of a debilitating illness. Crooker is a plucky woman whose irreverent wit sparkles through a lively telling of life lived on the edge of normalcy. It is a gutsy, gritty tale of survival in a dysfunctional family driven by oddball eccentricity, yet rooted in interdependency and love. It also is a story of bootstrap courage in the face of daunting odds. Peas, Pills and Parkinson's deserves your attention.

W. Lane Rogers

Alice Crooker doesn't like eating peas, taking pills and having Parkinson's disease, but she does like being a parent, climbing peaks and talking to people. When you read this book, you will feel as though Alice is talking to you. As you read, you will be inspired, entertained and amused but, most of all, thankful. Not everyone suffers from Parkinson's and, for that, we should all be thankful.

Peas, Pills and Parkinson's is a snapshot of Alice's life from childhood to adulthood -- a life that, in many ways, prepared Alice for the catastrophic effect that a debilitating, neurological disease can have.

Throughout the book, Alice never loses her sense of fun and ability to see the positive side of life. As she writes, her wacky sense of humor fills the pages and, when she says, "We laughed ourselves silly over absolutely nothing," you can believe it.

I was thoroughly entertained from start to finish: through the laughter and the tears but, mostly, by Alice's abiding love. Thank you Alice.

~Shelagh Watkins